'Fifty Shades of Grey' Star Dakota Johnson on 'Forever, Interrupted'

Gidden Media and Good Universe have tapped "Fifty Shades of Grey" star Dakota Johnson to topline the movie adaptation of "Forever, Interrupted: A Novel" by Taylor Jenkins Reid.

Amy Baer will produce the romantic drama through her Gidden Media. Johnson will exec produce with Nathan Kahane and Joe Drake of Good Universe, and John Middleton and Roy Lee.

"Fovever, Interrupted" is the story of a young woman who elopes after a whirlwind romance and then must face the sudden death of her adoring husband -- and come to terms with his loss while forming an unlikely relationship with his mother.

Baer called the novel "exquisitely written and heart-wrenchingly honest...And Dakota will be exquisite as Elsie, who has to deal with the sudden loss of a great love. She is a deeply thoughtful, sensitive and smart woman and actress."

Johnson recently wrapped on Scott Cooper's "Black Mass" opposite Johnny Depp and will next be seen in "Fifty Shades of Grey," directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson. Focus has set a Feb. 13 opening for "Fifty Shades."

Baer and Good Universe partnered on "Last Vegas," which grossed $136 million worldwide. Gidden Media's slate includes romantic drama "A Storm in the Stars," sports drama "Sarge," "The Brian Banks Story" and the comedies "Sundance Is Bulls**t" and "The Wedding Detective."

Good Universe, founded in 2012, achieved its biggest hit with the Universal comedy "Neighbors" with $248 million in worldwide box office. Its slate includes Jonathan Levine's upcoming Christmas comedy starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen and Anthony Mackie for Sony Pictures and the sci-fi thriller "Extinction," to be directed by Joe Johnston.

"Forever: Interrupted" was published last July 2013 by Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. Jenkins Reid's latest book "After I Do: A Novel," published by Washington Square Press, went on sale a week ago.

Johnson is repped by WME and Management 360. Jenkins Reid is repped by Brad Mendelsohn of Circle of Confusion.

Peter Sample of Jackoway, Tyerman negotiated the book rights on behalf of Gidden Media and Good Universe with Rich Green of Resolution on behalf of Carly Watters of P.S. Literary.